Monmouth College

Robert C. Hale

Academic Biography:
Having spent most of my life in the South, I had no idea that I would ever end up living in a town of ten thousand in Western Illinois working at a small, residential liberal arts college; however, the move to Monmouth and the tight-knit, collegial community has enriched my life beyond measure. Most of my time outside of school is spent with my wife raising our two children--the most challenging and gratifying job of my life. My primary teaching area is 19th-century British literature, particularly romantic poetry. Professors Ed Bratton and R. B. Miller sparked my passion for romantic poetry when I was an undergraduate at the University of Tennessee. As the list of courses taught indicates, I'm also interested in Victorian literature, particularly fiction, and turn-of-the-century literature of Britain and the United States. Another interest that began at UT but which was expanded in graduate school with mentoring from my major professor, Michelle Massé, is women's literature, especially nineteenth-century fiction and poetry.

Research Interests:
My main research area is the poetry of William Wordsworth. Often noted as a poet who writes about childhood and children, Wordsworth also wrote about mothers and fathers. Much of my research centers on Wordsworth's representation of mothers, how and why he depicts them, and what his treatments teach us about his poetry. I am currently exploring the relationship between Victorian painting and poetry and hope to use the knowledge I gain to develop my Victorian culture class.

Courses Taught:
ENGL110 Composition & Argument
ENGL200 Introduction to English Studies
ENGL221 British Survey II
ENGL348 Modern British Novels
ENGL348 19th-Century Women Novelist
ENGL350 Romantic Poetry
ENGL350 Victorian Culture
ENGL350 Transatlantic Literature of the 1890s
ENGL400 Senior Seminar
INTG101 Introduction to Liberal Arts

Contact Info:
Office: Rm 207 Mellinger Learning Ctr
Email: rhale@monmouthcollege.edu